Through Yonder Window
by JoeJonasLuvr
Summary: He never even wanted to go. Stupid Seth and his stupid persuasion. He didn't want to go and he most definitly didn't want to fall in love.
1. Born and Bred to Hate

**Title:** Through Yonder Window

**Author:** CohensCutie07

**Rating: **T for violence. Also for some sexual content in later chapters.

**A/N:** Yes, this a play off of Shakespeare's Romeo and Juliet. I've watched the Leo DiCaprio movie too so that gave me some ideas. I made Luke part of the Cohen family because I thought he made a pretty good Mercutio. Don't kill me if you don't agree. Pretty much all of the characters in here have Shakespearian alter-egos. Heres some of the main ones.

_Ryan Cohen--Romeo Montague _

_Seth Cohen--Benvolio Montague_

_Luke Cohen--Mercutio (Did Shakespeare give him a last name?)_

_Sandy Cohen--Lord Montague_

_Tybalt Cooper--Tybalt (again, not sure if good ol' William gave him a last name)_

_Julie Cooper--Lady Capulet_

_Marissa Cooper--Juliet Capulet_

_Jimmy Cooper--Lord Capulet_

_Kevin Volchok--Paris (another one of those lucky characters whom Shakespeare didn't give a last name to)_

I think that's all the alter-egos you need to know. Oh and Roseline is the same Roseline that Romeo was hung up on in the play. I made up all the ancestral stuff in the beginning because I needed a basis for the feud thingy. I know it sounds stupid but play along because you'll see it referenced throughout the fic. And if you think the name Asya is weird (my sister laughed at it) then whatever because I looked it up and it's an old Hebrew name that means grace. Well, that's enough A/N for now I think.

**Disclaimer:** **Shakespeare came up with the general storyline, although I did tweak it a little bit. Josh Schwartz, unfortunately, owns the characters. I don't even own Leo. How depressing.**

* * *

The Cohen's and the Cooper's hated each other. It had been that way for as long as anyone could remember. There were tales that told of a feud dating back centuries ago, between Malacai Cohen and Benjamin Cooper. Malacai was Jewish and Benjamin was Catholic, but despite that, they were close friends. Malacai had taken an interest in Benjamin's wife however, and Benjamin wasn't pleased. Sarah Cooper was of enviable beauty, so it wasn't surprising that Malacai liked her. For a while, he and Sarah were sneaking around behind Benjamin's back, but they were soon found out. Benjamin became so enraged at this betrayal that he swore that he and all his descendants would forever hate Malacai and the Cohen family. This had been the bedtime story told to generations of little Coopers, and it hardly ever varied.

Unless of course, a Cohen was telling the story. The Cohen's told of the graceful yet shy Asya Cohen who fell in love with her husband Malacai's best friend, Benjamin. When Malacai found out out that Benjamin and his Asya were having an affair he blamed Benjamin entirely wasn't the slightest bit angered at Asya. Malacai swore that he and all his descendants would forever hate Benjamin and the Cooper family. This story had been told to every Cohen and they knew it by heart. There were other versions of the tale that were sometimes told, but whatever the story was, the Cohen's and the Cooper's hated each other and that wasn't about to change.

Ryan Cohen had been told the story of Malacai and Benjamin ever since he was an infant. It was almost as if the two families were bred to hate each other. Ryan had a fraternal twin brother, Seth. Ryan and Seth had a cousin who was also their age named Luke. Ryan, Seth, and Luke Cohen were practically inseparable. In fact, Seth often referred to them as the Terrific Trio. Surprisingly, on this particularly hot summer's day, Ryan was alone. He was sitting beneath the shade of the worn shingles of the lifeguard stand at the beach, staring out at the water, brooding.

Ryan and Roseline. It had a ring to it. Or at least, it did until she ripped his heart out. He tried to talk to Seth and Luke about it but they just didn't get it. So here he was, staring out blankly at the vista of rolling waves that seemed to stretch out forever. The silent serenity of the beach was interrupted by what sounded like a gunshot in the distance. Ryan shook his head and sighed, figuring Luke and Seth had run into Tybalt Cooper and his goons.

How right he was. Luke had just been filling up his new Porsche with super unleaded plus gas from the station by the pier, when Tybalt glanced sidelong at him from the other side of the filling station. "Did you see the look he just gave me?" Luke asked his cousin, although he really wasn't searching for an answer. "Just let it go Luke," Seth responded. Luke wasn't a big fan of letting things go, so instead of doing so he pulled his pistol out of it's holster and pointed it in Tybalt's general direction. "Do you have a problem with me, Cooper? Because you were looking at me kind of funny," Luke said calmly as his eyes met with Tybalt's. Tybalt pulled out his own gun and took aim at Luke's head. "Yeah, I got a problem with you. You're a Cohen," Tybalt said, practically spitting when he said Luke's last name as if it were some kind of swear. Seth smirked nervously and wiped a drop of sweat from his brow, "Alright, we know each other's last names. I think that's enough for today. Let's get going Luke" Seth chided. Too late. Tybalt's gun went off and Luke dodged a bullet. "Seth. Car. Now." He said as he tugged the gas nozzle out of his car. He threw the keys at Seth and said, "Drive." So as Seth sped towards the Cohen estate, Luke leaned out of the window and shot at Tybalt's Lexus that was so closely following them. Tybalt shot back until the gate to the Cohen mansion blocked him from doing so.

Luke got out of the car, put his pistol in the holster and exclaimed, "That was awesome." Seth just shook his head. "Oh yeah, because almost getting killed is so much fun. So much fun in fact, I just remembered why I don't go anywhere with you unless Ryan comes too," Seth said, sarcasm dripping from his voice. Luke was about to say something in return but a stern voice from the front door cut him off. "Get in here now," Sandy Cohen summoned. "Coming," both teenagers responded. "I just got a call from the police chief. Care to explain?" Sandy asked, his tone rising. "Tybalt Cooper looked at Luke so Luke took out his gun," Seth explained. Sandy shook his head. "He looked at you?" he asked in disbelief. "Well it wasn't a smile if that you were thinking," Seth quipped. "Seth, I'm talking to Luke," Sandy said. Seth left the room in search of Ryan. He found him walking up the path in the backyard that led to the beach.

"Who'd you shoot?" he asked before Seth even opened his mouth. "Luke and Tybalt had an itty bitty falling out at the filling station," Seth explained. Ryan smirked, "Itty bitty, huh?" Seth shrugged. "You know Luke," he said with a sigh. Ryan closed the door to the poolhouse once he and Seth were both inside and sat on the edge of the bed. "This whole feud thing between us and the Coopers is ridiculous," Seth said after a while. "Mmm," Ryan grunted in return. "I'm serious," he continued, "like who cares if our great great great great great great grandmother screwed around with one of their great great something-or-others. Actually it would be more than two greats, but I don't feel like saying it that many times. In any case, it was like a bazillion years ago and we should just drop it." Ryan heard the sudden lack of noise and assumed he should respond. "Mmm," he grunted just like he had last time. "Are you even listening?" Seth asked loudly. "Huh?" Ryan responded. "Guess not. What are you thinking about, Ry? Wait, don't tell me, I already know. Roseline and the fact that her fugly ass dumped you," Seth guessed, triumphantly correct. "She was pretty," Ryan defended. "Yeah and pigs fly," Seth remarked snidely. He was greeted with the thump of a pillow hitting his head. "Ouch, a pillow. Call an ambulance, I think I need stitches," Seth said in over dramatic tone. "Next time it'll be my fist," Ryan threatened as he rolled over so he couldn't see Seth.

"If I had known that she was going to turn you into a grumpy, pillow throwing, ass I never would have let you date her," Seth remarked. "Whatever," Ryan responded sourly. "Seriously bro, you need some cheering up. How about we crash that Cooper party tomorrow? It's a costume party, they'll never even know that it's us. I bet Luke would come too. It'd be fun. Please?" Seth asked, unafraid to resort to begging. "Fine," Ryan agreed so Seth would leave him alone. Would he have agreed, though, if he knew this Cooper party was to be his undoing?


	2. Not So Bad After All

**A/N:** Yay! Another update. Thank you to taastyy, mcooper11, sprucester999, najeda, and spidergirl91 for the reviews on the first chapter. Hope you love this one just as much.

* * *

Ryan groaned. Stupid Seth and his stupid persuasion. He didn't want to go the party at the Cooper's. Ryan would much rather stay in the pool house and brood over his break up with Roseline. Of course, Seth and Luke would never let him. Seth would surely be coming in soon with some heinous costume he expected Ryan to wear. 

Ah, right on cue. "Here you go, buddy. I brought you the best costume I could find at The Family Costume Closet," Seth chirped pleasantly as he let himself in. "It's Prince Charming," He added for clarification. Ryan gave the costume a once over, it looked like something straight out of a Disney movie. Ryan sighed loudly, "You gonna leave so I can put it on?" Seth nodded and obliged.

A few minutes later, Ryan was admiring his reflection in the mirror. He didn't look half bad. The dark green velvet shirt had silver trim all over it and there were tassels glued to the shoulders. The pants were black, and a bit tighter than Ryan would have liked, but he'd deal. The finishing touch was the boots that were just a tad too big. "I forgot to give you a couple of things," Seth said as he, again, let himself in. Ryan had to stifle a laugh. Seth was dressed as Batman, black tights and all. He even had the goofy little mask. Ignoring Ryan's grin and muffled chuckling, Seth continued, "There's a crown, a mask, and a sword. They were in the bottom of the bag, I didn't see them." Ryan nodded, a cheeky smile still inhabiting his tanned face.

The brothers met Luke in the driveway. "Let me be the first to ask, what the hell are you wearing?" Seth asked loudly. "They were all out of Fred Flintstone at the costume store," Luke offered weakly. "So you opted for Wilma instead?" Ryan asked with a low chuckle. Luke glared at him. "Let's just go," he said softly. "Someone's a bit touchy," Seth muttered as he slammed the Porsche's door. "How come I always get crammed in this pathetic excuse for a backseat?"

When the three boys arrived at the Cooper manor, their hands flew to their ears. Music was blaring several decibels louder than necessary and several other people about their age were screaming and yelling, probably drunk. "I'm gonna go spike the punch," Luke yelled over the music. Ryan waved him off, but he was sure the punch had already been spiked. Seth saw some girl he liked and ran off, leaving Ryan alone in the middle of the crowd. He thought he saw Roseline in the distance, but decided it better to stay away from her. Instead, Ryan sauntered over to the punch. He filled a cup and took a swig but immediate spit it back out. The contents of the punch was little more than pink vodka.

Ryan threw the plastic cup in the trash barrel and looked around. He definitely should have stayed home. He walked toward the car but was stopped when he heard a humming sound coming from near the infinity pool. "Hello?" Ryan called out nervously. "Hey," responded a soft feminine voice. A figure soon stood up from where she had been hiding on the other side of the bench. Ryan was speechless. She was the most beautiful girl Ryan had ever seen. "I'm Marissa," she said and held out her hand. Her costume was that of a princess. The dress was a light pink chiffon v-neck that highlighted her curves. There was a matching pink mask but she had left on the ground near the bench where she had been sitting.

"What are you doing out here? Skipping your own party?" Ryan asked with a charming smile. Marissa smiled back, "What are you doing out here? Skipping my party?" Ryan sighed. "Something like that," he answered quietly. "Got a name?" Marissa asked after a moment of awkward silence. "Ryan," he answered, purposely leaving out his last name. "Ryan Cohen, I presume," Marissa said in cold voice. "Yeah, I'll just get my brother and cousin and we'll be out of here in a minute," Ryan said quickly and turned to leave. Suddenly Marissa burst out laughing. "You can stay. I don't mind," She said in a more friendly tone.

"Good because I think it would be pretty hard to get Seth and Luke right now. Luke is a very aggressive drunk and Seth couldn't physically hurt me but he'd definitely give me an earful for pulling him away from Summer," Ryan explained. Marissa nodded like she understood and then moved closer to Ryan. She slowly raised her hands to his face and removed the little silver mask that had been hiding the blue brilliance of his eyes. "Much better," She said contently. Ryan smiled nervously and turned to leave again. "When I said you could stay, I meant here. By the pool. With me. I suppose you could go back to the party but since I have this," Marissa smiled and waved his mask in the air, " I don't know how long you'd last before Tybalt or my dad pulled a gun on you." Ryan smirked, "You could give it back." Marissa just smiled. She seemed so calm and together that it almost surprised Ryan when she began to run away. "Follow me," She yelled excitedly as she dashed through sprinklers that were watering the vast expanse of land that was the Cooper's back yard.


	3. I Don't Kiss and Tell

**A/N**: Finally, an update. I know I've been gone for like ever bu**t **I'm back now so its all good. Thank you to mcooper11, spidergirl91 and najeda for the reviews on the last chapter. As always, enjoy and review!

**Disclaimer: I owe it all to Schwartz and Shakespeare.  
**

"Where are we going?" Ryan called out to Marissa as he dodged a sprinkler. "You'll see," she responded with a hearty laugh and continued to run. They ran across the yard to the back fence where Marissa stopped momentarily to unlatch it. She continued to lead and Ryan continued to follow until they reached a small pond. The moon shone overhead, illuminating the blue green water. Ryan stopped to take in the pretty sight but Marissa yanked his arm, pulling him under the branches of an overgrown willow tree. The branches were so long that they created a spacious hideout around the trunk of the tree. They couldn't see the outside world, and it couldn't see them.

Marissa sat on the soft grass and patted the ground next to her, wanting Ryan to sit too. He did. "This place is amazing," Ryan said. "Yeah. It's quiet. I come here to think mostly. But it serves a different purpose tonight," Marissa said with a devious smile. "And what would that be?" he asked. Marissa didn't answer right away. She got lost in his eyes for a moment, unintentionally of course. "Tonight it's where we're going to talk. And the first thing we're going to talk about is why you came to my party. We both know you weren't invited," as she spoke, a smile danced across Marissa's lips and Ryan couldn't help but smile too.

"I, uh, just got out of a relationship. My brother thought it might cheer me up and my cousin would have gone no matter who's party it was. Luke's kind of a party animal," Ryan revealed. Marissa giggled. She had the most beautiful laugh Ryan had ever heard. It was light and airy but sweet and sincere. It made him want to laugh too, so he did. After a minute or two, Marissa calmed down enough to ask, "What exactly are we laughing at?" Ryan really didn't know. "I only started because you were," he told her.

Marissa grinned and shook her head. "I'm not sure why," she began, "but I suddenly have the urge to kiss you." Ryan was taken aback at first, but he had to admit that even though they barely knew each other, a kiss didn't sound half bad. Just as he began to lean into her, Marissa stood up. "I shouldn't have said th..." she started but was cut off by Ryan's lips crashing into hers. The kiss was fairly innocent, there was no tongue and it lasted less then a minute. Even so, it left Marissa smiling. "I know our parents aren't exactly fond each other, and would probably kill us if they knew about this, but I could care less. If you're not busy tomorrow, meet me here around noon," as soon as the words were out of her mouth, she ran off. Across the field, through the fence, and back into her yard. Ryan followed, but he didn't run. When he got back to the Cooper's yard, Marissa was nowhere in sight.

"Hey man, where ya been?" Seth asked as he neared his brother. "Here," Ryan replied simply. "So you didn't run off into the woods with a certain Miss Cooper?" Seth asked with a coy grin. Ryan blushed and said, "It's none of your business." Seth nodded his head in agreement and started toward the car. "You're driving because Luke's drunk off his ass. I'd drive but I appear to be the only one who fits into that sorry semblance of a backseat," Seth informed Ryan as he tossed him the keys. Ryan nodded and unlocked the door of the Porsche. As he put the keys into the ignition, Seth smiled knowingly. "You sure you didn't sneak off with Marissa?" Ryan just rolled his eyes and pulled out of the driveway.

"Ooh, Ry got some action!," Luke exclaimed drunkenly. "No, I didn't," Ryan insisted. "I don't believe you," Seth singsonged. "Marissa Cooper is a hot piece of ass. If she wasn't so damn off limits, I'd have fucked her forever ago," Luke slurred. "Would you both shut up?" Ryan said rather loudly. "Don't have to tell me twice," Luke mumbled. "You should probably tell me twice, I tend to ignore what I don't want to hear," Seth explained. "Shut the hell up. What happened between Marissa Cooper and I tonight is none of your god damn business and I'd appreciate if you'd stop asking about it," Ryan replied, trying to stay calm.

"So you admit it! Something did happen with you guys!" Seth exclaimed victoriously. "If I have to tell you to shut up one more time I swear to God I'll ..." Ryan started but Seth cut him off. "No need to get physical. I'm shutting up right now. Although I must say, you're awfully touchy about this whole Marissa thing. You don't actually like her do you?" Seth asked skeptically. Ryan glanced over at Luke, who was out cold, and then refocused his attention on the road. "Actually, I do."


	4. Important AN

I've been trying to update all my stories lately but I find that I've got too many to deal with right now. There's probably people out there with more stories than me who can handle it fine, but I'm going absolutely insane right now so here's what's going to happen. Each story is going to be finished one by one in the following order:

Through Yonder Window

Working It Out

Fantastic Four: Collegebound

New story that I've been working on


	5. Bed and Breakfast

**A/N: I know I've been gone forever, and I'm sincerely sorry about that. I'm back now though, I promise. This chapter is just a little R/M bonding time, nothing too dramatic. Enjoy and review! Also thank you to mcooper11, carmen, ashley, and karly for your reviews on the last chapter. **

**Disclaimer: It's still not mine**

Marissa felt like an idiot. She had been waiting by the willow for over an hour, and still there was no sign of Ryan. She should have known he wouldn't come, he was just some guy from a party after all. A Cohen guy no less. Marissa sighed and parted the green branches, quietly slipping inside the secret sanctuary. She leaned against the wide trunk and closed her eyes. When she opened them again, he was there.

"Where the hell have you been? I've been here since noon and it's practically one thirty now!" Marissa exclaimed. "Sorry," Ryan mumbled weakly. "You should be," she said in an annoyed tone. "My dad wouldn't let me leave the house. My cousin got in a gunfight with your cousin the other day, and now my dad's going crazy trying to make sure no one else gets in trouble. I had to tell him I was going grocery shopping in order to get out of there, and I'm not sure he even believed that," Ryan informed her.

"Well you're here now. What're we going to do?" Marissa wondered aloud. "It's not as if we can be seen together," Ryan pointed out. "Not in in Newport. But In Santa Maria we'd be okay. I know a great little bed and breakfast there and I'm sure we could find a suitable restaurant for dinner," Marissa said, her voice high and excited like a kid on Christmas morning. "Slow down there. Bed and Breakfast?" Ryan asked sceptically. "Well it's a three hour drive. I just thought it'd be easier to do it in the morning, instead of at night," Marissa explained. "And how exactly are we explaining this to our parents because somehow I doubt that 'I'm spending the night with daughter of your sworn enemy' will go over well with my dad," Ryan quipped. "Just say you're spending the night with some friends," she said, as if it were obvious.

To Ryan's surprise, Sandy bought the lie about friends in Santa Maria. Now he was in the car with Marissa, about an hour away from their destination, chatting about anything and everything. "You seriously named your dog Ball?" Marissa's laughed. "I was three, and his favorite toy was a ball. It seemed suitable at the time," Ryan defended himself. Marissa just laughed. It was that light, airy laugh Ryan swore was contagious. The conversation shifted after their laughing bout. "We've never really gotten along," Marissa said of her mother at one point. "Why not?" Ryan inquired. "We're polar opposites. She's all about fashion, gossip, looking good, making more money than she really needs, and hating you. I'm so completely different. If it's comfy I'll wear it, doesn't matter how it looks or what it cost. I could care less about who's had what surgeries and what color insert name here should never wear again. I don't care what people think of me, and I only take what I need. And unlike my mother, I happen to like you. Now you see why we don't get along? To her, I'm a let-down. She'll only ever be happy when I'm exactly like her," Marissa explained exasperatedly. "You're not a let-down," Ryan reassured her.

"Here we are," she announced a few minutes later. They were in the parking lot of a very quaint little Bed and Breakfast. The sign out front read, "Angie's B&B." Ryan subconsciously grabbed Marissa's hand as they exited the car. She noticed but decided to ignore it. After checking into a room and deciding that it was a bit too early for dinner, the pair decided to wash up. "I'll go first," Marissa said before Ryan got a chance. So he waited on the bed while Marissa showered. He could hear the pitter patter of water hitting the bottom of the tub and door open when she was done. "Ryan?" she called out, the bathroom door only open a crack. "Yeah?" he called back. "There's no towels in here. Are there any out there?"

Ryan's cheeks turned an embarrassing shade of crimson. He looked around and spotted the towels on a chair near the bathroom door. "Um, yeah, I..." his voice trailed off. How was he supposed to give her the towel without seeing anything he shouldn't? "Just bring it to the door," she instructed. Ryan kept his eyes focused on the bedspread as he handed her the towel through the door. She came out a few minutes later. "That was awkward," she said of the towel exchange. "Yes," Ryan agreed and made sure to take a towel from the chair into the bathroom with him.

"Mmm, this is good," Marissa said between mouthfuls of shrimp scampi. "So is this," Ryan said and gestured to his prime rib with his fork. There were in Carrows Restaurant, it was just minutes away from where they were staying and the food was great. Throughout dinner they spoke, as they had in the car, about anything and everything. By the time they were ready to go to bed, Ryan felt like had known Marissa all his life.

"You're hogging the blankets," she pointed out a while later. It was true, Ryan had pulled the blankets close around him completely forgetting that he was supposed to be sharing them with Marissa. "Sorry," he apologized and let her pull the blankets toward herself. They fell asleep on opposites sides of the bed, seemingly miles away from each other. This was not so when they awoke. Marissa was cuddled close to Ryan, their bodies melded together like puzzle pieces. Ryan's arm was draped lazily over Marissa's waist and his face was buried in the golden tresses that covered the back of her neck. "I um..." Ryan began but Marissa cut him off. "It's okay," she said as she reluctantly left the warmth of Ryan's body behind to sit up in bed. "I'm going to get dressed," Marissa said as she headed toward the bathroom.

"These pancakes taste like plastic," She said at breakfast, a while later. "You've eaten plastic, have you?" Ryan hassled with a smile. "I'll rephrase, these pancakes taste like what I would imagine to be plastic," Marissa said, and giggled. Ryan shook his head and continued to spoon cereal into his mouth. "You should have had the same as me," he told her, "it's pretty hard to mess up a bowl of Cocoa Puffs, after all." "I'll have to keep that in mind for next time," Marissa said as she stood. "We've got a three hour drive ahead of us, let's get a move on."

Three hours later, Ryan and Marissa were concealed beneath the overgrown willow. Ryan had parked somewhat far away so his car wouldn't be seen near the Cooper mansion. "Bye Marissa," He said as he turned to leave. "Wait," she responded, and pulled him close. "I didn't get my goodbye kiss," Marissa pointed out in a sultry whisper. "How could I forget?" Ryan smiled, and proceeded to tangle his fingers in her soft blond curls as the made out against the tree trunk. A ringing cell phone interrupted their "moment". Ryan sighed as he pulled away from Marissa's cherry red lips. "That's my dad. I have to go," he said, and parted the willow's branches.


	6. Let the Craziness Begin

**A/N: **Where'd all my reviews go? It's not very encouraging when you don't get a single review. Here's the next chapter, theres only two or three after this one. PLEASE, review and enjoy.

**Rating**: T/M for some sexual content.

"So how was your sleepover with Marissa?" Seth asked as he let himself into the pool house. "It was fun. We had dinner and," Ryan stopped short, suddenly aware that Seth knew more than he should have. "How did you know about that?" Ryan asked. "I heard Marissa in the background when you called asking for Dad," Seth stated triumphantly. "You don't think Dad knows, do you?" the blond twin asked nervously. "Lucky for you, he's not as smart as he looks," the raven haired twin laughed. Ryan breathed a sigh of relief.

"So you weren't kidding when you said you liked her, huh?" Seth sat on the edge of the bed as he spoke. "Nope," Ryan replied. "Falling for the enemy, such a Ryan thing to do," Seth proclaimed. Ryan just shook his head and leaned backwards until he was lying on his bed. Seth took it as his cue to leave.

Luke, however, took it as his cue to enter. "Hey man, what's crackin'?" he asked as he strolled into his cousin's bedroom and plopped down next to him on the bed. "Nothing. And don't say crackin'. Ever," Ryan said. Luke shook his head in understanding. "So who were you with in Santa Maria?" Ryan gulped nervously before answering, "Uh, some friends." "Yeah, but who?" Luke probed. Just then there was a knock on the door.

The blinds were drawn and the door was closed. The knocker's identity was concealed, for now anyway. "Well it's not Seth," Luke laughed, "he doesn't know how to knock." Ryan smiled as he walked to the door. He opened it and in rushed Marissa. "Your dad almost saw me but Seth distracted him," Marissa explained. Then she noticed they were not alone. Ryan's gaze shifted from Marissa to Luke, and then back to Marissa. He gulped. "Why is Marissa Cooper in your pool house?" a very confused Luke asked.

"You must be Luke. Tybalt said you were a bit dim," Marissa said as she shook the bewildered teen's hand. "I am not dim," Luke protested, "I just have no idea why your here." "I'm here to talk to Ryan," she stated simply. "Uh huh, why?" Luke inquired. "Luke, lay off. It's fine," Ryan reassured his cousin. "There's a Cooper standing a foot in front of me, how is that fine?" Luke asked in an annoyed tone. "Because we're kind of, sort of, dating," Ryan said quietly. "Kind of, sort of?" Marissa repeated, as if offended. Before Ryan could say anything Luke raised his voice. "Dating?" he repeated rather loudly. "Yes, dating," Marissa confirmed. Luke turned for the door. "Luke," Ryan called, fearing he would tell Sandy. "Chill, I'm not going to say anything. If you like her then good. You deserve a good relationship after that whole mess with Roseline," he said and closed the door as he left.

Ryan turned toward Marissa, the baby blue color of her eyes had deepened to an intense sapphire. She was mad. "Kind of, sort of? What the hell is kind of, sort of? Either we're dating or we aren't," Marissa stated angrily. "We are dating," Ryan reassured her, "but no one had said it out loud yet so it just sounded a little weird. That's all." "Good," she said, kissing him on the cheek as she sat on the bed. She wrung her hands nervously. "Believe it or not," she began, "I actually came here for a reason." "Uh huh," Ryan urged her on. Marissa swallowed hard, "Tybalt knows."

"He knows?" Ryan asked in disbelief. Marissa nodded, "I have no idea how, but yes." "This is bad," he frowned, stating the obvious. "Actually this could be classified as really bad since my lovely cousin Tybalt owns a gun and wouldn't hesitate to you use it on you," Marissa informed her boyfriend. "That made me feel so much better," he said sarcastically. As an after thought he added, "Your dad probably wants to kill me too." "Tybalt didn't tell him," Marissa began, " he came up to me in the hall and told me that he knew about me and the little Cohen bitch, the little Cohen bitch being you of course, and that the little Cohen bitch was going down. I don't think I need to explain to you what 'going down' means. Anyway, he never told my dad."

Ryan sighed dejectedly and wrapped his arm around Marissa's waist. "I'm gonna die," he said, a bit too over dramatically. "You're not going to die," she said sounding unsure. A lull swept over the pool house. It was so quiet that the young lovers could hear each other's steady breathing. The silence was calming, so much so that Ryan snuggled close to Marissa and almost fell asleep. "Hey, no sleeping! We're having a very serious discussion," the blue-eyed beauty scolded. "Sorry," Ryan apologized.

"So what are we going to do about this?" she asked. "I don't know. But if tonight's gonna be my last night on earth, you should make it special," Ryan told her, a sly grin creeping across his lips. "Ry, I was being serious," Marissa whined. "So was I," Ryan retorted. He pulled her close and kissed her hard. She kissed back. Unlike the kiss under the willow, that had been so innocent, this kiss was heated, passionate, and it didn't seem like Ryan and Marissa were coming up for air anytime soon. Without separating his mouth from hers, Ryan slid his hands under the hem of Marissa's Chanel tee. She giggled into the kiss as his hands ran over her stomach, and gasped for air when he stopped kissing her just long enough to pull the pink fabric over her head.

Ryan's shirt soon joined Marissa's on the floor, followed by his belt and jeans. Marissa's denim shorts found their way to the floor as well. They were so completely wrapped up in each other that the turning of the doorknob went completely unnoticed. "My retinas! They burn!" Seth exclaimed as the door swung open. Ryan hastily threw the tangled comforter over himself and Marissa. "What do you want Seth?" he asked, clearly annoyed. "Dad's coming in about five minutes. You may want to think about getting dressed," Seth advised his brother. "Seth, leave," Ryan said, the situation more than awkward. "That's exactly what I'm doing. I'm leaving and completely forgetting about the fact that I just saw your girlfriend naked. You know, it's a good thing you were wearing boxers Ry. If you weren't I think I'd be, like, permanently scarred," Seth said on his way out the door.

"Your brother's a pervert," Marissa commented as she gathered various clothing items from the floor. "Nah, he just has bad timing. Really bad timing," Ryan said in Seth's defense. Marissa nodded and slipped into the bathroom. "Where are you going?" Ryan asked, wanting her to stay with him. "Your dad's going to be here any second," she reminded him. With that, he swept his jeans and shirt from the floor and quickly redressed. Just as Ryan buttoned up the last button on his shirt Sandy walked in.

"Why is your belt on the floor? Rosa just cleaned this place," Sandy chided lightly. "Whoops," Ryan replied and picked up the belt, quickly tossing it into a drawer. "Tybalt Cooper just came asking for you. Now obviously the doorman didn't let him in, but he seemed pretty mad. Now I don't want to know what you did to get him mad, I just want you to stay away from him. I've told you that your whole life, stay away from the Coopers. You didn't listen to me Ryan. I'm disappointed in you," he said with a small frown. Sandy left the pool house and Marissa emerged from the bathroom.

"So you know how I said you weren't going to die?" she asked cautiously. "Yeah," Ryan replied. "I may have been wrong about that," Marissa confessed. Ryan sighed, "I can't be here." He was right, he couldn't. Newport wasn't safe anymore. The minute he stepped outside the mansion's wrought iron gates Tybalt would kill him. All because he fell for the enemy. Seth was right, it was such a Ryan thing to do. "We should run away," Marissa said suddenly, the idea having just popped into her head. Ryan gave her a 'your crazy' look. "I'm serious," Marissa protested, "It's not as if there's another option." "I suppose your right," Ryan agreed. She leaned into him, her head resting gently on his chest, "What're we gonna do?"

Half an hour later, they had a plan. Ryan would leave for Colorado in just two days. Once he had found a suitable place to live, he was to send word to Marissa through Seth. Marissa would feign illness, be checked into the hospital, and pay Dr. Hanson (A very shady M.D.) a large sum of money (stolen from her parents) to pronounce her dead. From there she would join Ryan in Colorado and live happily ever after. Although they wouldn't be Ryan and Marissa then. They were changing their names to Colby Ashland and Nora Jameson so they wouldn't be easily found. So really, Colby and Nora would live happily ever after.

"I should get home before my mom calls the cops," Marissa joked. They both new the plan, now they just had to carry it out. Ryan knew that, but something was itching inside him and it was determined to come out. "I love you," he suddenly blurted. Marissa was already half way out the door but she stepped back in to make sure she'd heard right. "I ... I love you too," she stammered. Ryan continued, "I know this might this seem crazy, but crazy appears to be the theme lately. I mean, we're running away, faking deaths, stealing money, and changing our names, and if all that isn't crazy then maybe I need a dictionary to go look up the word. Anyway, as I was saying, I know this is crazy but I want you to marry me. If you want that is. It's crazy but I love you and you just said you loved me and we're running away together, so why not?"

Marissa smiled. "I think your brother's incessant rambling has worn off you. I guess I'll have to get used to it since I'm marrying you and all. Nora Ashland, it has a ring to it," she giggled. "Marissa Cohen sounds nicer but I'll take what I can get," Ryan said. "When are we getting married? Tomorrow? Because you're leaving the next day, you know.," She pointed out. Ryan grinned, "Tomorrow it is then."


	7. Wedding Bells are Ringing

**A/N: **Here's the next chapter. Not too much drama. Enjoy and review. Oh, and a special thanks to najeda for leaving the only review.

_Disclaimer: I'd be rich if I owned the OC or Romeo and Juliet. I also wouldn't be sitting here writing about them. _

Usually on such an occasion as today, Sacred Heart Church was full beyond reason. This was the first wedding ceremony that Father Henry had conducted without there being at least a hundred guests present. It was also the first wedding he had seen in which the bride was not clad in dress that cost more than his house. It was definitely a first in his book, and a first in Newport as well.

Ryan was standing near Father Henry. He was wearing a light blue dress shirt and khaki pants, it was the dressiest thing he could find on such short notice. Marissa, who was on her way down the isle, wore a white dress that she had worn to Junior Prom. She was surprised it still fit her. Marissa continued up the isle, smiling at Ryan, who was smiling right back.

He took her hand when she was close enough, and they both looked at Father Henry. "We are gathered here today to join together Ryan Cohen and Marissa Cooper in holy matrimony," Father Henry began. Ryan smiled reassuringly at Marissa. The old man cleared his throat. "Marriage was originated by God. Our thinking on the subject has it's basis in the divine revelation we call the bible. Marriage was the first institution given for the welfare of humanity. In the Garden of Eden, before the tempter had touched the world, God saw that it was not good for man to be alone, so he made a helpmeet suitable for him and established marriage."

As Father Henry paused, Marissa turned toward Ryan. She smiled calmly, but her insides were alive with butterflies. It wasn't that she was nervous, just that she was really and truly getting married. She'd known it would happen someday, and someday just happened a little sooner than she thought. Father Henry continued on. "Also," he said, "the Holy Spirit, speaking through Paul, selected the symbol of husband and wife to describe the union between Christ and His church. Such a relationship should not be entered lightly, but reverently, and in the fear of God, after much consideration."

Father Henry paused again, for dramatic effect Ryan guessed. Ryan too appeared calm, but after hearing those last few words, a small shadow of a doubt had implanted itself in his mind. What if they had rushed into this? One day surely didn't count as "much consideration". But he loved Marissa, and that was all that mattered. "If it is your intention to take each other as husband and wife, please unite your hands ands step forward," The old priest directed. Their hands were already joined so the two teens simply took a step in Father Henry's direction.

"Let us now read from God's word, the bible." Adjusting his bifocals, Henry opened the bible. "(Gen. 1:26-28) Then God said, 'Let us make man in Our image, according to Our likeness; let them have dominion ... over all the earth ...' So God created man in His own image; in the image of God He created him; male and female he created them. Then God blessed them, and God said to them, 'Be fruitful and multiply; fill the earth and subdue it; have dominion ...'"

Father Henry turned toward Ryan. The wrinkles around his eyes were visible through the lenses of his glasses. Frown lines creased the corners of his mouth. By the look on his face, it was obvious he did not approve of this union. Lack of audience proved it was against their parent's wishes, and their ages proved them too young to have found the proverbial "one". Even so, he spoke.

"After hearing the admonition of the scriptures, do you Ryan Noah Cohen, now take Marissa Arabelle Cooper, whose hand you hold, to be your wife, and do you solemnly promise, before God, that you will love and honor Marissa according to the instruction of God's word, and that forsaking all other others for her alone, you will be faithful to Marissa, so long as you both shall live?"

With just a seconds hesitation, Ryan replied, "I do." Satisfied with Ryan's answer, the aging priest turned his attention to Marissa. "After hearing the admonition of the scriptures, do you Marissa Arabelle Cooper, now take Ryan Noah Cohen , whose hand you hold, to be your husband, and do you solemnly promise, before God, that you will love and honor Ryan according to the instruction of God's word, and that forsaking all others for him alone, you will be faithful to Ryan, so long as you both shall live?"

"I do," she squealed almost instantly. Marissa's smile grew wider (if that was even possible) and she held Ryan's hand tighter as Father Henry looked up from his podium for the first time. "May I have the rings please?" he asked. Ryan drew from his pocket two matching white gold bands. They had been purchased just yesterday and picked up just this morning, a definite sign of a rushed wedding. Father Henry cleared his throat again and spoke on.

"As a token that you will faithfully perform these vows, you will now exchange rings. The ring is an endless circle; a symbol of the covenant you are making here today. Ryan, as you place the ring on Marissa's finger say, 'As I place this ring on your finger, I pledge myself to you. I am yours.'" The senescent priest imparted. "As I place this ring on your finger, I pledge myself to you. I am yours," Ryan repeated as he slid the ring onto Marissa's slim finger. He repeated it a third time to himself. I am yours. It was actually a somewhat scary thought, to be bound to someone for all eternity. But again he reminded himself that he loved Marissa. And again he reminded himself that that was all that mattered.

"Marissa, as you place the ring on Ryan's finger say, 'As I place this ring on your finger, I pledge myself to you. I am yours,'" Father Henry said. Marissa grinned and took Ryan's hand in her own, pushing the gold ring onto his finger. "As I place this ring on your finger, I pledge myself to you. I am yours," she gushed excitedly. They were both wearing rings now, they were practically married and her excitement couldn't be contained. She was shaking in her Prada heels.

"Now that you," Father Henry began, "Ryan and Marissa, have agreed to enter together in the holy state of marriage, before God, I therefore, by virtue of the authority vested in me by the state of California, pronounce you husband and wife, one together, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ. What God has joined together, let no one divide. And now may the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ bless you in this new relationship forevermore."

Pushing his bifocals up further on his nose, the empty pews became visible and Fr. Henry was reminded of the fact that he was the only witness to this union. Chuckling to himself he said the next line as he would have had this been a normal wedding. "Ladies and Gentlemen, I present Mr. and Mrs. Ryan and Marissa Cohen."

Marissa and Ryan kissed passionately and that nagging doubt in Ryan's head seemed to dissolve on his wife's lips. Hand in hand they turned around and exited the church. Ryan's Range Rover pulled up near the willow tree not long after.

Parting the branches with her hand, Marissa pulled Ryan in by his collar. Her lips attacked his and he had to quite forcefully push her away in order to ask, "Shouldn't we be doing this in a, um, bed?" Marissa panted a moment and then replied, "There's no way to get you into my house without somebody seeing, and so my bed is out of the question. While I could easily sneak into your pool house, your parents could just as easily walk in on us and so your bed is out of the question as well. This is more romantic anyway, it's the first place we kissed," she reminded him. Ryan nodded in understanding. Marissa wrapped her arms around his broad shoulders and pulled him closer. "Kiss me," she demanded. He was all too happy to oblige.

Under the willow, on the eve of their wedding, Ryan and Marissa became one. And when they collapsed, sweaty and exhausted, Ryan against the tree trunk and Marissa against Ryan, Marissa's arms subconsciously wrapped themselves around Ryan's torso and Ryan's around her shoulders. Somewhere, in the back of their sleeping minds, they knew what tomorrow would bring. They knew they'd be separated, by they didn't realize it would be permanent.

**Only one more chapter left, I think. As you can probably tell I didn't make Luke as a big of a character as I had intended and I didn't use Volchok at all. There was enough drama without them. Najeda, you asked me not to kill them. Would it really be R/J without the tragic double suicide? You'll have to wait and see. And pleaseeeee can I have more than one review on this? I know it wasn't that good and I'm kind of being a review whore but I've only gotten one review on the last two chapters combined and its very depressing. Please and thank you. **

**Rach**


	8. Not Invincible

**A/N: **So this didn't come out as well I had anticipated but hopefully you'll like it anyways. This is the end, though this story was fun to write. There should be an update on Working it Out tomorrow with any luck. Hopefully some of you are still interested in that. All the medical info this post is accurate. The song at the end is Even in Death by Evanescence. Please read an enjoy and share your thoughts with me. I love reviews!

And for all those of you who don't know - A Jane Doe is an unidentified female. An unidentified dead female in this case.

**Disclaimer**: I am notJosh Schwartz and I am not William Shakespeare. I do not own The OC or Romeo and Juliet. But hey, a girl can dream can't she?

A gentle breeze swept over Ryan's sleeping form. It was cool against his bare skin, and just enough to wake him. He gathered his pants and shirt from the ground and quickly dressed. Ryan left a soft kiss on Marissa's forehead and placed her shirt over her so she wouldn't be cold. Parting the weeping willow's branches, he paused, turned around, and looked at her one last time before leaving.

"Yes Seth, I'm sure," Ryan sighed exasperatedly into the phone a few days later. "But are you really really super sure?" Seth asks again, clearly to waste as much time as he could. "I'll miss you too bro," Ryan conceded, guessing it was Seth was trying to say anyway. Seth sighed, "I'll tell Marissa to start on phase two, but that doesn't mean I approve." "Okay," Ryan nodded even though Seth couldn't see and had almost hung up the phone when a soft and unsure "Ry?" from the other end of the line caught his attention. "Yeah," he responded. "I know I don't always say it, and my slightly obnoxious behavior may lead you to believe otherwise, but I love you. You're my brother, so it's really not a choice, but I do. And I don't think what you're doing is right or fair but if you think it is then I'm not going to stop you. I hope you and Marissa are happy together. And maybe, one day, you'll come back. Maybe this crazy feud will end," Seth's voice trailed off. "Yeah, maybe," Ryan said. Neither brother wanted to say goodbye, for that would make it all the more real. So instead of uttering that horrid seven letter word, they hung up the phone.

Marissa could hear her mother's footsteps thudding in the halls. "Bye Seth," she whispered and hung up the phone. "Mom?" she called out sheepishly. "Yes Marissa," Julie replied as she entered her daughter's room. "I don't feel so well," she said in a whiny schoolgirl voice. "Well I'll get the thermometer," Julie declared and rushed away to find it. As Julie darted from the room Marissa withdrew a penny from the drawer of her nightstand and slipped it under her tongue. "Here we go baby, just put this under your tongue," Julie crooned. Marissa had to keep herself from laughing. Since when did her mom give a shit about her? "Oh my God!" the older of the two screeched. "You're burning up, we have to get you to the hospital straight away!" Julie proclaimed and helped her daughter to her feet. Once they were in the car and Julie was far too preoccupied with speeding through traffic to notice, Marissa removed the penny from her mouth and smiled to her self. All was going according to plan.

Her mother was in the waiting room worrying herself to death and Dr. Hanson was just walking in the room. "Here's the ten grand," Marissa said, nonchalantly, as she showed him the check. "One death certificate coming right up," Dr. Hanson said as he relieved Marissa of the money. She left through the back exit of the hospital, checking her watch as she did. "Shit!" she cursed, she was running late.

Ryan was sitting on a bench in a bus station. Marissa should have been there an hour ago. Beginning to worry, Ryan thought that maybe he should check on her. He drove by the house first, her mother's missing car letting him know that at least the first part of phase two had been successful. He sped to the hospital and got out at the emergency entrance. Julie Cooper was sobbing in the waiting room. Another good sign. He walked up to the receptionist and asked politely for Dr. Hanson. The doctor appeared a moment later. "Did Marissa Cooper leave here yet?" Ryan asked impatiently. "How could she? She's dead," Hanson replied smugly. "Look I know what's going on. I know she paid you to pronounce her dead. I just want to know if she's left the hospital yet," Ryan fumed, growing impatient. Dr. Hanson continued to play stupid, not knowing that Ryan really was a part of the scam. "I'm sorry for your loss," the doctor said, and walked away. Suddenly Ryan's insides felt like jello, he slumped into the closest chair and hid his face in his hands. This wasn't happening, he couldn't have lost her. On a whim, he whipped out his cell phone and dialed her number, getting nothing but her voice mail. If he had decided to call her just a fraction of a second later than he had, he would have heard his phone ring and her voice on the other end. Unfortunately he decided to call her at the exact same time she had, and got her voice mail.

"Mrs. Cooper," Ryan said softly, choking back tears. "What the hell do you want?" she asked, annoyed that a Cohen had the nerve to interrupt her grieving. "I heard about Marissa. I'm sorry," he offered and turned to walk away. "Wait," Julie ordered, wiping a stray tear from her cheek. "How did you know?" she asked. "I, uh, heard the doctors talking," Ryan said quickly. "It's surreal," Julie blurted suddenly, the need to let it all out overcoming her. "One minute she's at home smiling and laughing and the next, she's dead. I didn't want to believe it at first. They let me in the room though, I saw the bed where she'd been laying, and the vague outline of her body underneath a white sheet and that was it. My baby girl's gone." She burst into sobs again and Ryan thought it best to leave. As he walked to his car, his mind, swirling, trying to process what Julie had said. The body beneath the blanket only verified Ryan's worst fears. Too bad he didn't know that the body beneath the sheet was just a random Jane Doe from the morgue. If he had, perhaps his next decision wouldn't have been quite so fatal.

Furious at the world for taking his beloved Marissa, he slammed on the brakes hard as he pulled through the gates and into the driveway. Ryan stormed through the kitchen barely noticing that no one was home. Ryan was halfway outside the back door when he saw it. The white and orange RX bag on the counter. It made sense that it should be there. Sandy had just had surgery on the knee he'd hurt surfing, it was probably his pain killers. Pain killers. Ryan could use some of those. He grabbed the bag and continued to the pool house. Sitting on the bed he shifted the bottle from hand to hand, contemplating his next move. Small black words were printed all along the label. Prescribed by J. Carson. No refill. 800 mg. Prescribed for Sanford Cohen. Levo – Dromoran Tablets. Take one by mouth daily. Ryan was certain he'd need more than one to kill all his pain.

With the bottle, he ventured into the bathroom. Ryan filled a glass with water from the sink and opened Sandy's medication. He spilled all the little white pills into his palm and looked at them. If he swallowed them, he'd be with Marissa. He'd be happy. Ryan put his palm to his lips and the pills fall into his mouth. He took the glass of water and drank greedily, swallowing the pain killers as he did so.

Ryan looked into the mirror, his face streaked with tears, and almost fell forward. He felt oddly off balance and woozy. His vision was blurred but he still managed to stumble back to his bed. He fell onto the feather pillows and soft mattress with a hushed thud.

Marissa was in a panic. She was late, she expected Ryan to be waiting to scold her at the bus station fro being late. He wasn't there. Marissa thought maybe he's gotten hungry or wanted to get something at his house. He didn't pick up his phone. She called Seth, to see if he knew where Ryan was, but he

wasn't much help. "I'm not at home, I'm out with Summer. I don't know where Ryan is. He's with you," Seth babbled before hanging up the phone. Desperate, she called the Cohen's house phone. No one answered. Marissa haled a cab and paid her fare to the Cohen's house. Ryan's car was in the driveway and the wrought iron gate had been left open. She let herself in through the open front door. Marissa called Ryan's name a few times before heading out back. The pool house's blinds were open, she could see Ryan asleep on the bed. When she got nearer though, she realized that Ryan was not simply sleeping. He was lying on the edge of the bed in a haphazard manor, it was as if he had been thrown onto the mattress. Ryan's sun bronzed skin looked lighter, a grim grey color. Tears rimmed Marissa's cerulean eyes as she pressed two fingers to his cold neck. He didn't have a pulse. "Ryan," she whimpered softly as she collapsed onto his lifeless body. Sobs racked Marissa's tiny frame and tears fell like unending rain. Ryan was gone and she didn't know why. Then Marissa saw the pharmacy bag on the floor. As she stood to get a closer look she could see the empty bottle by the sink. Suicide. But why?

Suddenly she knew why he wasn't waiting for her at the bus station. Marissa had been running late, and Ryan must have gone looking for her. He must have thought she was really dead. If only she hadn't been late. If only she'd told her mother she didn't feel well sooner. If only. More tears ran down her cheeks as she blamed herself for Ryan's unfortunate fate. She was trembling and accidentally knocked over a potted plant. Looking down, she noticed it was Foxglove. Marissa hadn't fallen asleep in biology like most of her class, she'd payed attention. She knew that if ingested, Foxglove was fatal. It caused ventricular fibrillation, if she ate it her heart would stop pumping blood. She'd die in mere minutes.

Bypassing the purple flower buds, Marissa plucked a few leaves. She sat on the edge of the bed and looked at them. They were her way out of this mess. They had a distinctly bitter taste that made it hard to swallow, but it didn't stop her. Marissa curled up next to Ryan and closed her eyes. She thought about all the fun they'd had together, and how much they loved each other. She thought of his smile, his laugh, and the way she felt so invincible around him. As her head slumped onto his chest, the wedding band she'd been wearing on a chain around her neck escaped from it's hiding place beneath her shirt. It lay just centimeters away from Ryan's matching band.

_I will stay forever here with you_

_My love_

_The softly spoken words you gave me_

_Even in death our love goes on_

_People die, but real love is forever_

_--**Evanescence **_


End file.
